Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Reunions, of sort
Next up for the Heat on road: LeBron, then Dwyane.
Three seasons ago, as the Miami Heat were moving toward a fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance, this impending scheduling seemed unfathomable, back-toback road games against LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
But here it is, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena and then Wade and the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at the United Center.
“I actually thought about since we’ve only got nine guys,” Udonis Haslem, captain and last-man-standing from those Heat Finals teams, said in the midst of this threegame trip, “I might have to guard LeBron and Dwyane.”
It might not get tougher than that from a physical and emotional standpoint.
“Maybe for them,” Haslem said with a smile that both embraced the both of the Heat’s currently realities, being shorthanded and searching for hope.
The uniqueness of the games against James long have passed, with Haslem the only player on the active roster with ties to the Big Three era. And the shock value of seeing Wade in opposing colors was handled with the Bulls’ Nov. 10 visit to American-Airlines Arena.
“I didn’t even think about that,” Haslem said of facing James and Wade on consecutive nights. “I was just thinking how hard a back to back it is for us just going to Cleveland and Chicago, overall. I didn’t even factor in LeBron and Dwyane. That’s just a hard back-to-back regardless.”
Coach Erik Spoelstra said the games will
“It’s always easy for me to think about how special that time was.” Erik Spoelstra, Heat coach
allow for pause to appreciate what was accomplished during those four NBA Finals appearances when James and Wade were alongside.
“It’s always easy for me to think about how special that time was,” he said. “Look, I think it’s 20-plus years I’ve been with the Heat. Every single one of those years, we approached the season to contend for a title. But you’re also experienced to know that doesn’t always happen. When you do have a team that’s special like that, you know pretty quickly that it’s different. So when we get to Cleveland, I’ll think about those thoughts.”
Haslem said he remains in touch with both James and Wade, no matter how difficult the partings stood.
“We text, kept in touch with each during the holidays, throughout the holidays,” Haslem said. “I’ve always kept in touch with LeBron, no matter what the situation was when he left. I always wished him the best, congratulated him on winning the championship.
“That’s what I do, except when he’s playing against us. Then I go do my job.”
As for Wade, Haslem said he’s been in touch, “now more so than ever.”
As for the other component of the Big Three era, Haslem also has remained in touch with Chris Bosh, who has been away from the Heat since failing his preseason physical, in the wake of missing the second half of the past two seasons due to blood clots.
“Me, him and Shane [Battier, the former Heat forward] got a little fantasyfootball thing going,” Haslem said. “We keep it light. We don’t really talk about basketball. Both of those guys aren’t active right now, and I’m in a mentor-type role. So, we talk about family, life, sports.”
As with James’ business with the Cavaliers and Wade’s transition to the Bulls, Haslem appreciates the limits with Bosh, as the Heat work through that delicate salary-cap situation.
“I really don’t know how that situation works,” Haslem said. “I don’t know the details of that, so we kind of stay away from that. I care about Chris as a person, so we talk about family stuff. I’m sure at some point we’ll get into the basketball conversation, but I don’t want to force it.”
But basketball will be front and center for a 27-hour period starting Friday in Cleveland, when it’s competition against James and then in Chicago against Wade, a pair of reminders of what used to be.
“I mean, once I step on the floor, the competitive juices get going,” Haslem said.
And, with that, came a warning for each, offered with a smile:
“I’ve got six fouls I get to use. Never forget that.”